Show SERIAL STORY PICTURES BY A WEIL the brao 0 W L by LOUIS J OSEPH VANCE inythe co SYNOPSIS M mad ad dan maitland Malt land on reaching his hl nw new york bachelor club met an attractive young woman at the the door janitor 0 wil bhagan lagan assured him no one had been within thin that day dan discovered a woman nna a finger prints sprinta in dust on hla his desk dek mn along with ith a letter from his attorney ma Malt fand nd dined with bannerman Bann ernan hla his attorney dan set out for to got hla his family jewels during hla his walk to lo the country seat he met th tha young woman in ingray gray w whom h orn he had seen been leaving his b bachelor che I 1 rs c club lub her auto had broken fixed it dy by a t ruse ruie ru ie he lost him maitland Malt land on reaching ahne home lady in gray bray cracking the th gate fa c containing onta ining lila his ams s she apparently took him for a asil well k known crook daniel anisey half hy hypnotized maitland Malt land opened his safe took the jewels and gave them to hor first forming a partnership in crime the real dan anisey sought ought by police of the tha world appeared on the same mission maitland Malt land overcame I 1 him ila iia met the girl outside the houze houa and they sped on to new york in her auto lie had the jewels and she ahe promised prom laed to anet him that day mat Malt maitland t land received mr shalta CHAPTER V continued maitland Malt land accepted the card anti and elevated his brows oh put ing becoming pen 1 I say say OHa ohagan iian 1 dessort Yes sorT sorl 1 I eh sh allta allbe busy tor for will halt au art hour satisfy you mr bit snaith Sn alth you are roost most kind the stranger bowed in half an hour Ol ohagan lagan you may return very good sor and tile the hall door closed so said maitland Malt land turning to face the be man squarely you are from police headquarters lead quarters As you see sea mr snaith motioned delicately toward his business car card as he called it IL well atter after a moments pause 1 I am a detective you understand perfectly Malt maitland land assented unmoved hla his caller seemed partly amused partly but very slightly embarrassed 1 I have been assigned to cover the affair of last night he continued blandly 1 I presume you have no objection to giving me what information you may possess credentials the mans amusement was made visible in a fugitive smile half hidden bidden by his bis small and neatly trimmed mustache mutely eloquent he turned back the lapel of his bis coat exposing a small shield at which Matt malland land gancedo casually very well he consented bored but resigned fire ahead but make it a as 3 brief as you can ive an engagement in glancing at the clock au hour and must dress ill detain you no longer than Is essential sent ial of course you understand how keen we are after this man Atil anesty sty what puzzles me maitland Malt land interrupted is how you got wind of ti the le alfair so soon boon then you have not heard al mr r snaith exhibited polite surprise 1 I am just wit out of bed anasty escaped shortly after you left maitland Malt land manor ali ah mr air snaith knitted his brows brow evidently at a loss whether to ascribe Mait maitlandt lands exclamation as due to surprise regret or relief which pleased maitland Malt land who had bad been at pains to make inake his bis tone noncommittal in point ot tact fact he was waa neither surprised nor regretful thunder he continued slowly 1 I forgot to phone fliggins that Is why I 1 called your butler did not know where you could b bo 0 found you had bad left in great haste A promising to send constables you failed ailed to do so higgins got no word in the course of an hour or so his charge began to choke or pretended to became alarmed and removed the gar gag anisey lay quiet until his face resumed its normal color and then began to abuse for a thickheaded thick headed idiot mr snaith interrupted himself to chuckle lightly you noticed a resemblance lie resumed jutland too was waa smiling some ahw of the sort it is really rem remarkable ar kable if you will I 1 permit me to say so was studying his hosts hosta face intently ilig gins poor fellow had bad his faith shaken to the foundations this anisey must bo b a clever actor as well as a master burglar having cursed higgins root and branch he got his bis second wind and explained that ho he was mr malt landl conceive Ilig glus position what could he do what he did I 1 anther precisely and Anis anesty once loosed he knocked higgins over w with ith the butt of a revolver jumped out of the window and vanished by the time the butler got his senses back anasty presumably was miles away tit mr matt malt land said snaith sharply yes responded maitland Malt land elevating his brows refusing to be startled why crisply you send the constables from greenfields according to your our promise maitland Malt land laughed uneasily and looked down visibly embarrassed embarras ed acting with consummate address playing the gamy for all he was wai worth and enjoying it hugely why I 1 really mr snaith I 1 must confess A confession would aid us materially a ly dryly the case Is in perplexing you round up a burglar sought by the police of at two continents and listlessly permit his escape why 1 I would rather not be pressed said maitland Malt land with evident candor but since you say it la Is imperative that you must know snaith inclined hla his head affirmatively why to tell the truth I 1 was a bit under the weather last night out with a party ot of friends you know dare say we all had a bit more than we could carry the capture was purely accidental we had bad other plans tor for alm R so said maitland Malt land turning to pace face the man squarely you are from police headquarters the night and well laughing shortly 1 I give the matter too much thought beyond believing that higgins would hold the man tight 1 I see it la is unfortunate but you motored back bach to town it was not a question but maitland Malt land so considered it we did lie he admitted and came here directly 1 I did mr air maitland why not be frank with me my sole object la Is to capture a notorious burglar I 1 have no desire to meddle with your private affairs but you yon may trust in my discretion who was the young lady to conceal her identity said milt land undisturbed i Is precisely why I 1 have been lying to you you refuse us its that information aaion absolutely I 1 have no choice in the matter you must see that snaith shook his head bead baffled infinitely perturbed to maitlandt Malt Mait lands hidden delight 0 of course said he the policeman at the ferry recognized me you are arc well known to him admitted snaith but that Is a side issue what puzzles me la is wily why you let escape it Is inconceivable from a police point ot of view from any point of view said snaith obstinately the man breaks into your house steals your jewels this is getting tiresome maitland interrupted curtly Is it possible that you suspect me ot of conniving at the theft of at my own property analtha Sn altha eyes were keen upon him blai stranger things have been known and yet the motive Is lacking you art are not financially embarrassed so far as we can determine at least maitland Malt land politely interposed his fingers be beleen his yawn and the detectives tec tives intent regard you have ten minutes more im sorry to say aay he said glancing at the clock and there la Is another point more significant yet ali ah yes snaith bent forwand tor for waid elbows on knees hat and cano cane bringing eyes implacable hard relentless anisey Ani sty hu he said bald slowly left led a tolerably complete burglars kit in your library well hes a burglar ha be not that kind snaith shook his head beal but Us his departure was waa hurried I 1 can conceive that he might abandon his kit 1 but it was not hla his i I 1 not no Ant atys anesty does not depend on ouch antiquated methods mr air maitland Malt land save that in extreme instances with a particularly stubborn safe aate he pall ploys a high explosive that so far aa aa we can find out la Is practically noised less its nature Is a mystery but such old fashioned strong boxes boxer aa yours tit at gre he opens by ear so to listens to the nation lie ila was once an expert reau bably tably employed by i a prominent fiant of 0 safe manufacturers in whose service he be gained the skill kill that has bas mado him what he Is but maitland Malt land cast about at random feeling himself cornered may h hii not have had accomplices I 1 lies no such tool unless he has gone mad he reworked worked alone I 1 you discovered no accomplice 91 1 1 I the devil no snaith smiled mysteriously then fell thoughtful pondering you are art an enigma he said a length 1 I can not understand why you refuse us ua all information when I 1 consider mat abat the jewels were yours are mine maitland Malt lad corrected 1 I no longer 1 I beg your pardon I 1 have hava them snaith shook his head smiling in credulously maitland Malt land flushed with annoyance and resentment then than on impulse rose and strode into the adjoining j bedroom returning with a small canvas bag yoi shall hall see for yourself he said depositing the bag on the desk and aind fumbling with drawstring if you will be kind enough to step over luri here mr air still unconvinced hesitated then assented halting a brief distance from maitland Malt land and toying abstractedly edly with his cane ahll the young tuan man plucked at the drawstring deuced tight abnot knot tills this merited maitland Malt land annoyed no matter pont arz gaoa im n qu te byh r 04 r I 1 maitland Malt land lind turned and lit in the act of turning the loaded head of the cane landed with walh crushing force upon his temple for an instant lie he stood swaying eyes closed face robbed of at overy every vestige of color deep lines of agony graven in hla his forehead and about ills hla mouth then fell like a lifeless thing limp and invertebrate the sol dalsant sant mr snaith caught him and let him gently arid and without sound bound to the floor poor fool he commented kneeling to make a hasty examination hope I 1 done for him it would be the first time bad precedent sol ilas hes all right conscious within an hour too soon boon he be added standing and looking down well turn fair play 1 lie swung on his heel and entered the hallway pausing at the door long enough to shoot the bolt then passed hastily through the other chambers searching to judge by ills his manner in the end a closed door attracted him he jerked it open with an ex mation of it gave upon a large bare room used by Al Malt altland laud as a trunk closet here were stout leather straps and cords in ample measure mr snaith selected one from them quickly illicitly but with care choosing the strongest in ill two more minutes baitland Mait lanil trussed ragged gagged unconscious and breathing heavily bea vily occupied a divan in his smoking room while hla his assailant in the bedroom ears keon to catch the least sound from without was rapidly and cheerfully arraying himself in the maitland Matt land gray striped flannels and access accessories orles even to tile the gray socks which had bad been specified the less chances on one taken takes the a better soliloquized air snaith t it lie he stood erect in fit another man mans shoes squaring back hla his shoulders discarding the disguising stoop and confronted his image in a pier glass good enough talt land lie he commented with a little satisfied nod to hla his counterfeit presentment but well make it better still A single quick jerk denuded his upper lip lie he stowed tile the mustache carefully away in hla his breast pocket the moistened corner of a towel make quick work of the crows feet about ills eyes and simultaneously robbed him 0 of a dozen apparent years A pair of yellow chamois gloves placed conveniently on a dressing table covered hands that no art could make resemble Mal Matt lands and it was daniel malt land who studied d himself in the pier clasp contented the criminal returned to the smoking room A glance assured him that his victim was waa still dead to the world lie ile sat down at the desk drew off the gloves and opened the bag a peep within which was enough with a deeland slow intake of breath he knotted the he drawstring and dropped tho the bag into its his pocket A jeweled cigarette case of unique design shared the same fate quick eyes totaling roaming the desk observed the telegram form upon which maitland Malt land had written cressia Cres sya syo name came and aad address momentarily arlly perplexed falte tie thief pondered this then with a ivl ll 11 1 oath seized the h e poll pen and scribbled r nibbled with no attempt t to imitate ipie e others handwriting a message cr regret unavoidable detention lot lat tr of explanation follows to this mattianda Mat Matt lands name was signed that ought to clear him neatly it I 1 ii t understand the enter emergency gency the thief rose lobe folding abe th telegraph tele rapa blank and returned to tho the bedroom taeng Salil nR up hla his hat and the murderous i acano cane as n lie hu went here he gathered to tether nil all the articles artl clea of clothing that the 0 had discarded conveying the mass to the tha krunkl o oom ul where an empty and unlocked in locked kit bag received it all J ta that 1 at I 1 think la Is about all F lie ite was very methodical this criminal nal this anisey nothing essential escaped hlin lie he rejoiced in the ml mi natlae of 0 detail that went to cover up tip ills tracks to so t o thoroughly that ills his earn cam signs were as remarkable for tile the lues luea he be did leave with design deigo igo as for those lie he pane one final thing held hla his attention A bowl of hammered brass inverted beneath a ponderous book upon tho the ut desk why in a twinkling ho he had reri oved both and was study hill dying the Capr easlon of 0 it 11 won lomana tans hand in the i chist find nodding over it r 11 that girl deduced anasty nov jee poor little fool or she I 1 have wasted time lime searching here for he be jewels good looker though from forn what little he be with a glanco glance at gave me a chance to see gee i if her er seems seema to have snared him blin all ight it if she did miss the haul hall attle idiot what right has a woman ft this business anyway well acres one thing that will bill never land pie ile in the pen As AB with nice care he replaced both bai and book a door slammed below stairs stair a took look him to the hall in an in stant slant maitlandt Malt Mait lands panama was hanging t ang on the hatrack Malt lands collection of walking sticks bristled in a stand beneath it anisey appropriate abl the former and chose one of the latter exchange ha considered wick alt ft a h alph laugh artter all he josf afi lla to vas out arid and ut tit the toot foot of the stairs italia just as Ol lagan reached tho the ground floor from the basement all ah Olla ohagan gaill the assumption of 0 ironic drawl was impeccable Ol ohagan lagan no more questioned it than he questioned his own sanity vere send this wire at onre once please and pressing a coin into the ready palm keep the change I 1 was hill ried lied and bother to call you and I 1 say Olla gavil 1 from tile the outer door it if that fellow snaith ever calls again im riot not at home very good sor set anasty permitted litin self tle tile slight pst est of smiles pausing on tile the stoop to draw on the chamois gloves As he did so his eye ye flickered disinterestedly over ahn persona personality liti of 0 a man standing on the opposite walk and staring at the apartment house lie was a short man of habit sloppily dressed with a derby pulled down over one eye cigar halt butt protruding it ar lo io gantly from beneath a heavy black mustache beefy cheehe ch eelis and thick soled boots boota dully polished TO HE continued CONTIN UrD I D |